Richardson's response

[pdxmom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040100885.html?hpid=opinionsbox1&hpid=topnews

"My recent endorsement of Barack Obama for president has been the subject of much discussion and consternation -- particularly among supporters of Hillary Clinton.

Led by political commentator James Carville, who makes a living by being confrontational and provocative, Clinton supporters have speculated about events surrounding this endorsement and engaged in personal attacks and insults.

While I certainly will not stoop to the low level of Mr. Carville, I feel compelled to defend myself against character assassination and baseless allegations."


Very classy response. He obviously had a difficult time with his decision and it's too bad that the hatefulness to which he has been treated makes him feel like he has to defend himself against the attacks and lies of the Clinton camp.

[LakeSamish706]

1. Yeah, but its just the Clinton's being the Clinton's... So I ask, why in hell would...

anyone in there right mind want to vote for such a despicable person?

[GarbagemanLB]

2. She's a woman and her last name is Clinton?

[progdog]

3. In a nutshell.

Thanks. :applause:

[democrattotheend]

13. It's attacks like this that are dividing the party

Clinton has some dedicated supporters who are very passionate about her candidacy. Saying stuff like this just turns them off from Obama. We don't have to like her, but to call her a "despicable person' and say that nobody in their right mind would vote for her is divisive and insulting to her supporters.

[LakeSamish706]

19. Well let me ask you, if you think my wording is such a problem.. have a look at this...

It says it much better than I can.

Texas superdelegates: Clinton will unify Republicans
Eric Mayes
Published: Tuesday April 1, 2008

| StumbleUpon


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Sen. Hillary Clinton would unify Republicans not Democrats, a Texas congressman said Tuesday, suggesting that to end the squabbling within the the party superdelegates should meet before the August convention in Denver to iron things out.

"In some ways Hillary Clinton would unify Republicans in way that John McCain can not," said Rep. Chet Edwards, during a call convened by Sen. Barack Obama's campaign to drive home the fact that Obama, contrary to earlier counts, seems to have won Texas.

Edwards and three other Texas lawmakers, all of whom are supporting Obama, proposed a superdelegate convention to decide on a nominee before the full party gathers this summer. The group included Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Charles Gonzalez and Lloyd Doggett, all of whom are superdelegates.

Should the cracks caused by the contest for the nomination deepen, the group said it would like to see a convention of superdelegates before the party's main convention.

Edwards downplayed concerns that superdelegates would go against the voice of the party. He said that would only divide Democrats further.

"I simply can not imagine superdelegates overturning the will of millions and millions of voters across the country," he said.

Clinton is the candidate that has proven divisive, Edwards said.

A broad spectrum of Texans has lined up behind Obama, he said, and have proven their loyalty by turning out in record numbers in the state's primary and caucuses which has only strengthened their party ties.

"This process is expanding the base of the democratic party," Edwards said.

Approximately 2.5 million people voted in the primary and 1.1 million participated in the March caucuses. The Clinton campaign has said on several occasions that caucuses are undemocratic.

After the votes were tallied, 99 of the state's delegates went to Obama compared to 95 for Clinton. Clinton did win the popular vote with a 4 percent margin in the state's primary. However, the caucuses appeared to have turned the tables on her.

The final verdict will not be delivered until after the state's convention in June.

The lawmakers were convinced Obama will win in the final count and that such a win would strengthen the Democratic Party within the state and the nation.

Johnson said assumptions that Obama appealed mainly to African Americans in Texas were mistaken.

"That’s really not the case," she said. "We do have a huge number of African American supporters, but we do have huge numbers of others as well."

By her estimate, approximately 75 percent of Obama's supporters in some of her districts came from white or Latino voters. CNNreported that Clinton got 66 percent of white Democrats, 15 percent of black Democrats and 69 percent of Latinos.

A broad base of support is typical of Obama's wins nationwide, Edwards said and will re-invigorate the party across the country, particularly in swing areas like his own district which includes Crawford, President Bush's hometown.

A combined ticket seems unlikely considering the animosity the race is generating and some have called for Clinton to drop out.

She has repeatedly dismissed the idea and Obama said yesterday that she should stay in the race as long as she wants to.

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Texas_Congressman_Clinton_would_unite_Republicans_0401.html

[grrr050]

35. Thank you very much!

Finally nice to see a grown-up Obama supporter I can truly respect in this board.

[olkaz]

4. He knew this was going to happen.

I have to imagine he was laughing at it, at least a little bit. I mean, the Clinton camp really went after him.

The "Judas" remark was so over the top, lord, I got a good chuckle out of that.

[Kittycat]

25. Not the Judas Part. That was just down right disgusting.

There's no reason for that. There's no politics fighting that supports that. You're talking about the person* that biblically sold out Jesus to be tortured and murdered, for a bag of money.

So are we to believe HRC is Jesus now? Of course it would fit with her persecution complex.

[olkaz]

29. That's the point; It's so over the top, it's hilarious.

It made Carville look like a complete goon, and lended credence to Richardson's motivations.

The whole thing was VERY enjoyable from my standpoint.

[John Q. Citizen]

5. "who makes a living by being confrontational and provocative,"

Very well done piece. Thanks for posting it.

[IndyHatedByBothSides]

7. Which is the real problem...

...for Carville et al, who make their living off of this type of politics. Obama's campaign - and Gov. Richardson's endorsement - represent a rejection of this type of gutter politics among large groups of voters.

[L0oniX]

37. I thought he was selling Ice Cream...

[bunnies]

6. Richardson has integrity.

I admire that.

[pdxmom]

14. That was my thought, as well. N/T

[SeaLyons]

15. He has no integrity...

he promised his support to the Clintons, made it known to many, and then for his own personal gain, decided to support Obama. He is a political whore.

[pdxmom]

17. Please provide links that show he promised the Clintons his support. And while

you're at it, provide links to show his personal gain from endorsing Obama.

[beltanefauve]

23. Good answer!

:thumbsup:

[apocalypsehow]

26. You have not a shred or scrap of proof for such a silly claim, and you well knew it before you

started typing. Your propensity to dishonesty is right in line with your candidate's - she has taught you well in the art of deliberate, willful falsehood.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

27. Something from HuffPo...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/27/carville-unloads-richard_n_93826.html

Long time Clinton backer James Carville charged on Thursday that, prior to endorsing Sen. Barack Obama, Bill Richardson promised several "very, very senior" Clinton supporters that he would back the New York Democrat.

Carville said the matter was "terribly mishandled" by Richardson and that the New Mexico governor owed Clinton supporters an apology.

Appearing on CNN's Larry King Live, Carville was asked to explain why, in the aftermath of Richardson's endorsement, he referred the New Mexico Governor as Judas, selling his political soul for 30 pieces of silver.

"He made misrepresentations," said the raging Cajun. "He told people he was going to endorse Senator Clinton, that he couldn't endorse someone else. And at the same time, apparently, he was doing something else, and people are justifiably and understandably furious about this. I have never attacked any other supporter of Senator Obama. Many of them are dear friends of mine. Some of them are some of my best friends. I thought this was an exceptional case that merited special consideration."

-snip-

[pdxmom]

31. Which makes it Carville's word against Richardson's, since Richardson

denies it. I know which one I believe.

[bunnies]

22. Please post a link to him promising to support Hillary. nt

[gateley]

33. He must have made it only known to YOU,

because he's what he said:

And while I was truly torn for weeks about this decision, and seriously contemplated endorsing Sen. Clinton, I never told anyone, including President Clinton, that I would do so. Those who say I did are misinformed or worse.

[LisaM]

16. No, he doesn't. He's an idiot.

I'm sorry to use such strong language, but wanted to take Great Lakes water to water his overdeveloped desert. I'm sorry, but that pisses me off. Barack Obama represents a Great Lakes state and he should be attuned to this.

[bunnies]

24. You 're going to have to give me a little more info than that.

Im unfamiliar with your Great Lakes vs. overdeveloped desert issue.

[Hamlette]

8. My favorite quote:

Carville and others say that I owe President Clinton's wife my endorsement because he gave me two jobs. Would someone who worked for Carville then owe his wife, Mary Matalin, similar loyalty in her professional pursuits? Do the people now attacking me recall that I ran for president, albeit unsuccessfully, against Sen. Clinton? Was that also an act of disloyalty?

[Cha]

18. Perfect..I love it when someone throws

logic into the spokes of the rickety, clinton wagon wheels.

[Saturday]

9. The Obama supporters are on their way to bail your a**

out of your political debt Gov. Richardson. Your endorsement has been paid for in full.

[goldcanyonaz]

36. All $400,000 worth. Bought and paid for.

[polichick]

10. I'll bet he's thinking, "Whew, I'm glad to be out of that camp!"

[pdxmom]

12. I'd guess he's thinking that he knows for sure that he made the right choice. N/T

[silverweb]

11. Thank you, Governor.

Well, truly, and very directly stated.

:applause:

[Forkboy]

20. Stay classy Hillary supporters!

[BeyondGeography]

21. "Carville and his ilk"...great closing paragraph

==I do not believe that the truth will keep Carville and others from attacking me. I can only say that we need to move on from the politics of personal insult and attacks. That era, personified by Carville and his ilk, has passed and I believe we must end the rancor and partisanship that has mired Washington in gridlock. In my view, Sen. Obama represents our best hope of replacing division with unity. That is why, out of loyalty to my country, I endorse him for president.==

[polichick]

28. Just the word "ilk" makes them sound creepy...

...and this is good too: "misinformed or worse" lol

[pdxmom]

30. That was my personal favorite. He was obviously a diplomat. N/T

[FlyingSquirrel]

32. rec'd

[myrna minx]

34. K&R. n/t

[autorank]

38. Check this line out. K*R

Classic rhetorical move (in the best sense of the term):

"Carville and others say that I owe President Clinton's wife my endorsement because he gave me two jobs. Would someone who worked for Carville then owe his wife, Mary Matalin, similar loyalty in her professional pursuits? Do the people now attacking me recall that I ran for president, albeit unsuccessfully, against Sen. Clinton? Was that also an act of disloyalty?"

Outstanding!

Richardson and Kucinich were the only two candidates to address Iraq. Richardson's withdrawal plan
and time table, months not years, was based on evidence of troop deployments in the recent past. What
a technique. Research and the propose.

Thanks for the pointer.